rogers



(No Model.)

2Sheets-Sheet l. C. D. ROGERS.

AUTOMATIC GUT-'OUT POR FIRE ALARM B0X boNTRoLLBRs. No. 375,569.

Patented- Deo. 27, 1887.

H Y et ,Baxfan/ralifn iii) /of j 7' ,Gigi Br? NiMh- WTNEESEE' N. PETERS. Phare-Lilbgmphef, washingim-a (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2..

C. D. ROG-ERS. AUTOMATIC GUT-OUT FUR PIRE ALARMTBOX CONTROLLERS. N0. 375,569. Patented Deo. 27,'1887.

FIC-HEI F|E|E TIE-E.

INVENTCIR' WITNEEEEE.

N PETERSfPhutwLimegnphan wnhingmn, D. C.

` UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OEAE'LES D.A ROGERS, OE PEOVIDENOE, EHODE ISLAND.

AUTOMATIC CUT-OUT FOR FIRE-ALARM-BOX CONTROLLERS.`

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 375,569, dated December 27, 1887.

Application filed May 1l, 1887. Serial No. 237,825. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES D. Roenes, a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Gut- Outs for Fire-Alarm-Box Controllers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and ,to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My present invention relates toI lire-alarm systems, more particularly, however,to the class which includes a district-box"Orfirealarm station electrically connected with a main signal or alarm station. District boxes of this type are sometimes provided with auxiliary mechanism termed ,box-controllers,77 which also are electrically connected and form a part of a local or sub-circuit system. By means of the box-controller a person at a distance may send in an alarm by pressing an electricallyconnected key or push-button, thereby causing the box-controller to actuate the releasing mechanism of the district-box; the action of the box-controller being inv effect the same as in the case-of a person standing at the box itself and manipulating the hand-lever thereof. After the alarm has been sounded the mechanism within the box automatically resumes its'normal position-J. e., in condition for another alarm. An apparatus of this character is very clearly set forth and claimed in my United States Patent No. 340,618, of April 27 1886. Y

It is obvious, in the event of there being quite a number of sub-stations or contactpoints located in one local circuit, and all conneeting with. the same box-controller, that possible confusion may be caused by unnecessarily-repeated alarmsbeing sent in from different quarters, but all announcing the same fire.

The object of my invention herewith is to providea cut-out7 for each box-controller, the latter being so connected therewith that the action of the box-controller, as in releasing the box mechanism to send out an alarm, au-

tomatically switches oi or breaks the localline current, thereby preventing another alarm from being sent in until the cut-out mechanism is reset or again returned to its normal position 5 also, by means of the action of the cut-out mechanism, a local-alarm gong, or annunciator electrically connected therewith, is adapted to indicate the source of the alarm.

, rIo produce an automatically-operating cutout the present invention consists, essentially, in the combination, with the box-controller having an electrically-connected ci recit-breaking device, of a eut-ont box carrying electromagnets, a pivoted lever carrying the armature of said magnets, mechanism Vadapted to be released by the action of the armature-lever, and connections electrically uniting the box-controller, local circuit, and cut-out box.

The invention further consists in the combination of a locally-connected box-controller, mechanism adapted to automatically cut out or break the electric circuit therefrom, and a local alarm or annunciator electrically conneeted with the cut-out box, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying two sheets of drawings, Figure 1, Sheet l, represents a general View of the system complete, the same embodying a re-alarm box provided with a boxcontroller electrically connected with an automatically-operating cut-out, which in turn is electrically connected with a series of local or sub stations. As drawn, theseveral gures represent an open ground-circuit.7 Fig. 2, Sheet 2, is a .front view of my improved eutout, (the cover being removed,) showing the several parts in their normal positions, ready to transmit a currentv of electricity through the several conducting-wires, dto., as in sending out an alarm. Fig. 2-is a similar view, reduced ,showing the position of the armaturecarrying lever, Ste., during the time in which a current is passing through the magnets, as in sounding an alarm through the medium of the box-controller.- Fig. 3 is a similar view of the cut-out after the current has ceased, the weight of the armature, 85e., returning the lever to its normal position, thereby at the same time fully releasing the switch or current-breaking lever and allowing it to fall to its limit. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sec- TOO tional view taken through the line x :v of Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a detached View, in elevation, of a box-controller adapted to be mounted in a fire-alarm box, and also shown connected with the cut-out, Fig 3.

lIlhe following is a detailed description of theinvention, including the mannerof its 0peration:

A, referring to the drawings, designates the cut-out box as a whole, Cbeing a box or housingadapted to be secured to abuilding or other location, as may be deemed most desirable. The front of the box is provided with a door, as C. \Vithin the box is mounted apair of electro-magnets, c6", having the armature a thereof secured to an arm, b2, of a counterweighted bell-crank lever, B, which is pivoted at p to the box. The other or vertical arm of the armature-carrying lever is forked at its lower end, b3, and terminatesin the oppositelyarranged beveled hooks b4, a stop, s, serving to limit the rearward movement of the lever, all as clearly shown. A current-breaking lever, D, is pivoted at p to the side of the box C, the free end of said lever D being provided with pins b b, the latter pin serving, when resting upon the adjacent hook b4, to retain the lever in its normal suspended position. The current-breaking lever consists of two pieces of metal made somewhat heavy, so as to readily drop when released, a piece of insulating material, c', as vulcanite, uniting the two portions thereof.

Immediately adjacent to the vulcanite are secured to the lever the two downwardly-extending V-shaped 'metallic pieces h h', the latter being tipped with non-conducting material, as hz. Below said pieces h h' are secured to the insulated base It of the box the two sets of spring-metal electric connections a b, the same being separated at their lower ends, (see Fig. 4,) the upper or free ends of each set being oppositely bent or curved in an outward direction, so as to readily receive each its respective V-picce when the lever D is released from the armature-lever. The first or outer set of connections,a,are adjusted so that their upper adjacent faces are always in contact with each other while in the normal position, the outer or second set, b, on the contrary, being normally separated. To the said insulated base h4 are mounted the four binding-posts c' c' c" c.

II indicates the box-controller or local-circuit motor, as a whole, the same, as drawn, being substantially as described and claimed in my said Iatent No. 340,618, hereinbefore referred to, el being a stop-disk adapted to be actuated by means of a spring mounted on its arbor. The disk is provided with a noteh,d, which abuts against a stud or pin, d, mounted upon an armature-lever, e, which in turn is kept normally locked by a tension-spring, e', the vibrating ball-escapement c, Sie., serving to limit or govern the speed of the arbor and its connections when free to rotate. rIhe stopdisk is further provided with a crank-pin, d3,

to which the link g is connected, the upper end of the link being elongated and connected with the free end ot' the releasing or spring lever gz, Fig..1, of the alarm-box K, the latter being, say, of the Gamewell type, the action of the whole being controlled by the electro-magnets e2, the coils of which are connected with the circuit-wires 2 and f, as will be hereinafter described. Metallic brushes f 2, secured to the base e* of the box-controller, serve, in connection with the respective conducting-wircsff, leading thereto, to elcctrify the metallic disk d, a piece of non-conducting material-as rubber fie-mounted in the face of the disk (see Fig. 5) serving to break the current during a revolution thereof. The electric connections, as drawn, are adapted to form an open ground-circuit corresponding to the arrangement shown in Fig. l.

I would state in passing that in order to avoid possible confusion in tracing out the several connections I have purposely widely separated the devices.

B'l indicates (sectionally) a building in which are mounted three circuit-keys, t, or contactpoints adapted to be grounded7 bythe wires o', the helices of the electro -magnets c of the cnt-out being connected with said keys by a circuit-wire, 0, and the interposed bindingpost c2. Leading from the said magnets az is a wire, 1,which connects with the rear half of the switch a, (sec Fig. 4,) the front half of the switch being connected with the bindingpost c' by means of the wire 2. Leading from the latter binding-post is a wire, 2, which is conducted to and connected with the coils of the electro-magnets e2 of the box-controller, and from which a wire, f, electrically connects the stop-disk dthrough theinedium of a spring clip or brush, f2, the circuit being completed by a return-brush, f2, battery m, and groundconnections f. The other switch or connection, b, is united, rear and front,with the binding-posts c4 cl by the wires 3 and 4, respectively. Leading from said latter posts wires6 and 5 and battery on electrically connect an alarm or annunciator, as A. (See also Fig. l.)

It is evident that a number of local circuits may be connected, as at o3, with the wire 0,all, however, leading to the same cut-out and boxcontroller.

The action of the devices, as in sending in an alarm, is substantially as follows: A circuit-closing key, t, is first depressed into engagement with a grounded wire, o', thereby exciting the magnets a2, the electric current passing therefrom through the conductor l and switch a ofthe cut-out, and thence through the conductors 2 2 to thc box-controller, thereby at the same time exciting the magnet-s e'z and withdrawing the stop d2 (against the tension of the spring e) from the notch d of the spring-restrained stop-disk, thus permitting the latter to complete one revolution, which movement depresses the free end of the handlever g2 of the fire-al arm box, thereby releasing the mechanism so as to send out an alarm ICO therefrom through Athe conductors i2 to asuitably-connected headquarters station and belltower. As the stop-disk d commences to revolve,the insulated portion f3 thereof engages the outer brush, f2, thereby, through the medium of the ground-wire f and battery m, breaking the current and permittingv the spring e to return the armature and stop d2 to their normal position and preventing the disk from further axial movement at the end of its revolution. 4At the same time the ball-escapement c is adapted to announce a local alarm at the nre-alarm box. (See Fig. l.) During the foregoing passage of the electric current the automatic cut-out operates substantially as follows; The magnets a2 attract the armature a3, thereby vibrating the lever B to its limit, which movement releases the switch-lever D. The latter, now, in falling is arrested by the pin b5, which engages the oute'r hook, b4, ofthe armature-lever. (See Fig. 2i.) At the instant the current becomes broken by means of the revolution of the stop-disk just described the armature-lever B automatically` (by gravity) returns to its normal position, resting against the stop s. (See Fig. 3.) During this latter movement of the lever the suspended switch-lever D is released, 'which in falling to its limit forces the V-shaped pieces h h thereof into engagement With the connections a b, respectively, asshown in Fig. 8. The lever D in falling forces the insulated tip-h2 of the'V-piece h between the adjacent faces of the connection a, thereby breaking the continuity of the circuit and preventing another alarm from being transmitted to the boxcontroller through the medium of the cut-out until the switch-lever D thereof isl reset. While the said lever D is depressed, as shown in Fig. 3, the other V-piece, 71,(separated from its fellow,h,by the non-conducting material ,)serves to make a temporary metallic connection by reason of its engagement with the two parts of the normally-separated pieces b. It will be noticed that Wires 3 and 4 connect the pieces b, which in turn connect with binding-posts c* c, having respectively conducting-Wires 6 and 5 leading therefrom to a suitable annunciator and battery, and forming a secondary electric circuit which is adapted to be closed i by the V-piece h, as just described. This ar-v rangement is employed to cause an annunciator, as A', Fig. l, to indicate, by a gong or other suitable device connected therewith, the source` of the fire-alarm, the gong, while the circuit is closed, being continuously sounded 'till lever g2 from being operated at the box itself for the purpose by handas usual.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of a signal-box, an electrically-connected box controller or motor, and an automatically-operating cutout located in a circuit provided with means for breakinglthe electric current iiowing to (or from) the boxcontroller, and sub-stations or keys, as t, electricall y connected with said cutout, substantially as hereinbefore described, and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of an electrically-connected fire alarm box provided with an electricallyconnected box-controller which embodies mechanism and electro-magnets for operating the hre-alarm box, as in sending out an alarm, a suitably-located and electricallyconnected cut-out embodying electro-magnets, and mechanism for breaking the electric current owing to the electro-magnets of the boxcontroller, and one or more sub stations or contact-points, as t, adapted in their operation to excite the cutout magnets, Snc., substantially as hereinbefore described, and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination of au electrically-connected nre-alarm box provided With means for operating it by hand, an electrically-connected box-controller mounted Within said fire-alarm box and connected with the operating-lever thereof, one or more local electric circuits provided with contact-points, as t, a cut-ont located intermediate of said box-controller and contact-points and electrically connected with the same, the cut-out being constructed Whereby, in exciting the electro-magnet thereof, the action of the armature after the current has released the boxcontroller mechanism releases a switch-bar, thereby automatically breaking the continuity of the current flowing to the box-controller and preventing another alarm from being sent out from a sub-station until the switch-bar has been reset, substantially as hereinbei'ore described.

4. The combination, `With an electricallyconnected box controller or motor adapted to release a signal-box mechanism, of an automatically-operating cut-out consisting of electro-magnets connected With sub-stations, a looselymounted current-breaking lever, an armature normally supporting said lever, and a springconnection, as ct, electrically connected With and actuated by said boxcontroller, whereby the action of the latter, as in transmitting an alarm, also releases the cutout mechanism, thereby breaking the continuity of the electric current and preventing another alarm from being transmitted until the cut-out is reset, substantially as described. l

5. The combination of an electrically-connected `fire-alarm box, an electrically connected box-controller mou nted therein, adapted to mechanically release the lire-alarm mech- ICO IIO

anism, a cut-out electrically connected with the box-controller, and local or sub stations, as t, connected with the cutout, all arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore described, and for the purpose specified.

6. The combination, with a irealarm box having a box controller or motor mounted therein, of the cut-out, substantially as here inbefore described, having a mounted switchlever, electro-magnets connected with sub-stations, an armature-carrying lever, and metallic connections, as a, adapted to electrically unite said magnets and boxcontroller, for the purpose specified.

7. The cut-out hereinbeforc described, consisting of the combination of electro-magnets, an armaturecarrying lever, springconnections, as a, a pivot-ed switch-lever normally suspended bythe armature-carrying lever, and having an insulated wedge-piece adapted in falling` to break the continuity ofthe current, and wires for conducting an electric current from a sub-station to the electro-magnets, thence to the said spring-connections, and, nally, to a box-controller located in the circuit, substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

8. The combination of an electrically-connected cut-out provided with spring-connections a b, a pivoted switch-lever adapted t0 engage said spring-connections, a pivoted armature-carrying lever having means for suspending the free end of the switch-lever, a

fire-alarm box provided with a box-controller electrically connected with said cut out, adapted to release the alarm mechanism, and also adapted in its action to release the sw1tch lever, thereby breaking the continuity of the current, and an annnnciator located in an 1ndependent circuit adapted to indicate orsound the alarm by means of the engagement of the switch-lever with thespring-eonnection b, sub stantially as hereinbefore described.

9. The combination, with a mounted and electrically connected box controller provided with mechanism for releasing the operating-lever, as g2, of a fire-alarm box, and a currentbreal ing device, of an automatic cutout having electro-magnets electrically connected with local or sub stations and the said box-controller, and havinga switclrlever connected with the armature, whereby the latter, as in closing the circuit, partly releases the switch-lever, which is subsequently fully released by the action oi' said circuit-breaking device, thereby causing the lever to fall and preventing the repetition of an alarm being sent in through thc medium of the cut-out until the switch-lever is reset.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES D. ROGERS.

Vitnesses:

CHARLES HANNIGAN, GEO, H. REMINGTON. 

